MDS Alert
Catch this New Name for Common Bacterium
PDF
Question: I don’t often think about the full name of C. diff but with all of the new infection control and antibiotic usage evaluation stuff going on, I feel like I should know what it stands for, in case I encounter the bacteria or the name. Can you refresh my memory? Texas Subscriber Answer: As you probably know, C. diff causes infectious diarrhea and can cause endemics in nursing facilities. Until recently, C. diff stood for Clostridium difficile, but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is now calling the same bacterium Clostridioides difficile. The change was made after various scientific processes revealed that the structure of C. diff bacteria is actually not representative of the genus Clostridium, and the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) suggested making the change. Initially, another genus and name were proposed, but the administrative costs of entirely changing the name of one of the most common infections and most widely known organism were considered astronomical, and the genus suggestion was adjusted so the currently used abbreviations of “C. diff” or “C. difficile” could still be used.
MDS Alert
- PDPM:
Start These PDPM Preparations ASAP
Check your readiness for PDPM by covering these bases. With the patient-driven payment model (PDPM) [...] - PDPM:
Know How Section GG Will Become More Significant
Pay attention to the changes involved in utilizing Section GG. You’ve had nearly three years [...] - Government Updates:
Look for New RAI Manual, OIG Briefing
CMS is continually focusing on facilities improving resident safety and health. If you are wondering [...] - ICD-10 Focus:
Understand Arrhythmia to Distinguish Fibrillation From Flutter
Hint: Knowing these particulars will make coding easier. Atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter are both [...] - Surveys and Compliance:
Learn These QAPI-Related Ftags To Ensure Compliance
Make sure you have these policies and procedures down pat before Phase III of ROP [...] - Clip and Save:
Know These Important Regulations Surrounding QAPI Ftags
Fully understand these expert tips so you can play by surveyors’ rules. If a facility [...] - Clip and Save:
Ground Yourself with This Exercise
Battle burn-out with these suggestions from a fellow nurse. All of your responsibilities can add [...] - Reader Question:
Understand this Acronym to Code Heart Failure Successfully
Question: A resident presented with dyspnea and peripheral edema and her clinical record notes that [...] - Reader Question:
Forgetting This MDS Item May Mean Rejection
Question: I recently submitted an MDS assessment with my facility’s software and received the following [...] - Reader Question:
This Metric Follows for Months
Question: A couple of residents in my facilities have fallen in the past six months, [...] - Reader Question:
Catch this New Name for Common Bacterium
Question: I don’t often think about the full name of C. diff but with all [...] - Reader Question:
Don't Make This Correction Mistake
Question: In our facility, certified nurse assistants (CNAs) do a lot of the charting for [...]